The God of Sugar. Review on Shanghai Knights Movie

How does a movie connect to our daily lives littered with tension & stress? Petty brawls with the boss, a nagging landlord, absent-minded professors,exorbitant telephone bills, back papers in semesters, Girlfriends / Guyfriends Watch out for the 'G' Factor,I'll elaborate on that in due course) giggling at our plights setting sight on the Guy/Girl next door & The list expands to eternity. We crave for respite, literally in tears, when suddenly the neighbourhood Panditji snaps, Bhagwaan ke ghar mein der hai, parantu andher nahin, vatsh,tera bhi samay aagaya lagta hai, shaane movie dekhne ka hai to chal, apun tereko chini phillum se setting kareila re !!! bole to jhakas item baap, ekdum first class.

We stroll around a bit until we come across a gigantic cut-out featuring two rumpled faces poking at us in what a Ninja trainer fondly calls,'The After Effects of a Wing-less (Read:English) Flying Kick', with the BIGBEN(Famous Clock Tower of London) adorning the background. Panditji chuckles, 'Putra, Yeh Chini Bhagwaan', pointing to the one with Dashing Mongolian exteriors.I fumble,'GOD OF SUGAR !! & who's the other one ?'. 'Ullu ka pattha' comes the thunderous reply to which I shriek with amusing horror. Why on earth would 'CHINI BHAGWAN' pair with 'Good heavens ! An OWL' when he could have easily swung to the likes of an 'Indian Peacock', a 'French Nightiangle' or even a 'Hong Kong Duck'. I vow to find out & follow a more ecstatic Panditji to the Theatre religiously.

SHANGHAI KNIGHTS *ing : Jackie Chan, Owen Wilson

'Yup, Shanghai Noon Part2, Yahooooo!!', Exclaims Panditji, although his baritone fails to deliver what a hysteric Shammi Kapoor a la Junglee would have loved to challenge.I,try to cut through the sudden darkness brought about by the fading overhead lamps as the silver screen comes alive.A nocturnal event in a far off SHAOLIN kinda' dwellings ('Chhaaiinaa',cries Panditji in unfathomable delight) takes off with elan as a 'Chini Kanya' does a Gladiator with a set of Thugs to save her Father & their honour in the shape of a crystal studded imperial seal. The leader of the masked bandits is Rathbone, a british loyalist who eyes the throne of the Queen Victoria & flaunts of a cohort of 'CHINAMEN' at his disposal. He manages to get rid of the chinese elderly & the bereaving daughter summons his brother to avenge the death of their father.

'JACKIE CHAN Zindabaad' goes the cry as a seemingly squatting Panditji nearly falls off his seat when the 'God of Sugar (Chini Bhagwaan)' makes the belated appearance in an oversized STETSON (Cowboy Hat) to dole out 'Personal Blessings' to the lesser mortals, I & Panditji, a couple amongst them. He sets sail for London, with Ullu Ka Pattha a la Roy O Bannon (OWLen Wilson) who has a penchant for mouthing glib one-liners. London bestows upon them a street urchin who ekes out a leaving by filching & a 6 ft wafer thin scotland yard inspector who seems to have had a glossopharyngeal disorder (He pouts & snaps at regular intervals).The last to join the bandwagon is none other than 'Chini Kanya' herself much to the surprise of her brother & delight of Pattha No. 1. There begins the adventure as the triumvirate scout the length & breadth of the city starting from the Buckingham Palace to Madam Tussaud's Wax museum.

'Maar Jackie Chan (READ:JAGIR CHAND), Maar' bellows our Panditji as the entire audience break into guffaws at the sight of Jackie & Owen creating pandemonium in the Queen's Capital. The G Factor (Read:Ginger) comes into picture as a salivating Owen peeps into the pages of Kamasutra with his magnifying glass unaware of the BANGS N BOOMS when Jackie gets even with the conmen in the murky background. The antics of his Highness (READ:CHOWNESS) The MAHARAJAH Read :Mauarajah) JACKIE, Jackie's hilarious portrayal of the vexed brother preventing Pattha from ogling at his sister consolidates his status as a Comic action hero. The GINGER is at it's best when a dreaming Bannon finds himself being licked by an indulgent lamb whereas his fantasy had the act performed on him by his enamorata, Jackie's sister.

'Shall I get a couple of Cokes or a packet of chips?',I ask Panditji, to which he replies 'Chow Chow Khau Khau', grinning. The second half contains what a typical Chan Movie is famous for,Innovative Kung fu Vs A gatling Machine Gun. Slick Camera work,impressive back ground score & deft editing makes the Sequel a typical Masala.The climax takes a shot at the attempted execution of the Queen which the 'God of Sugar' & His Sidekick thwart with admirable ease. The chemistry & timing of sequences between Jackie & Owen is worth the Knighthood they attain in the end.

Although not a great classic, Shanghai Knights sparkles because the DUO believe in the philosophy that states,

'It takes 46 muscles to frown, but a single to smile'.